Monobrow

Hey there! I like the composition, it's fine and nicely nuanced. It's really your samples unfortunately that are getting in the way... They sound very midi-ish unfortunately. What can help this, is honestly better mixing. Make your drums sizzle and stick out more... Right now they sound kind of flat. I can like the idea of a very low-end kit, it's kind of cute, but it needs to feel more dynamic. Your piano... It sounds too fake/low end... But like the drums, also sounds kind of flat. If you can't fix what sample you're using, mix the piano in a way that the fakeness becomes more quirky... Right now it's kind of in "am I real, or am I fake sounding" limbo... Pick a side... EQ and give reverb in a way that will emphasize this. Overall, I think they have a bit too much resonance and are too wet, without all the charm of higher freq sticking out that would make the wetness sound better. I also think they may sit back in the mix (room size) too much. Also think the writing is just a bit too repetitive... The chords might (and I hate saying this), be a bit too full, in a way that makes the playing actually sound a bit sloppy... A really good way to break up the piano I think would be to mess with the listener, get us used to the rhythm you've been using, and then do something different... And change up your drum writing to emphasize it. That would probably help overall w/ your quirky sound that I think you're going for. The more orchestral elements... Seem too far back in the mix as well, and kinda drowned out. It seems like they could be way more impacting if they really were more staccato... But they have this resonance and just the note lengths aren't impacting enough... Maybe shorten them, and make them dryer. It'd make them sound cleaner too. The song ends, I am sure you are gonna do more... So good luck, and if you really are going for that quirky sound, keep your background parts dryer, emphasize your rhythm, and keep the mix as clean as possible. Good luck!

I think it's really just about how muddy it sounds overall. Your lead intro synth is very full, and yet also sounds hollow and too far away. It's weird. I think maybe you should try another synth, or EQ the one you have... lower freq down a bit, find a sweet spot in the mid to high ranges and EQ that up a tad... Get that full sound without it sounding bloated. When the guitars hit, well, damn. Your guitars are very muddy, clash with each other all the time, and the whole song sounds overcompressed. You're really going to need to find a way to separate all those guitar parts... The rhythm feels like it's too much in the forefront, it's too dominating... The lead doesn't have a tone that sticks out much at all, and the accompany/harmony is more confusing than helpful... And IMO this is all because of them clashing w/ freq ranges, and just being too similar in tone and even note range as well. Also any synthwork after the intro is drowned out. Your highhats and drums and cymbals are perpetually lost in the freq clash as well. So basically what would save this song is just some really smart EQ... balance all of your instruments... Start with the instrument you want in the forefront, make it sound good, make it sound absolutely GREAT, cut out all other freq you don't think it needs... Then add another part, listen to how they sound together, EQ that part around the first... ETC... If you can't get it all to sound good when the drums come in, EQ like this w/ the drums included. You want your highhats and cymbals to sizzle, your kick to have oomph without too much resonance, and your snare to pop, all without dominating or getting lost w/ the rest of the mix when you have it all playing together. http://www.audio-production-tips.com/mixing-drums.html# This is a good guide for that has helped me. Any compression you have on right now, take off... Start your mixing from scratch, and EQ EQ EQ until you have the right balance, and then turn it all up and see what happens. Good luck! I like the writing, it's solid, if a bit clashy, it's just the mixing that's the handicap.

Interesting. I like how this moves a lot. My problems: 1. Humanization - As intimate as the overall concept is for the first half, the writing in the beginning seems kind of choppy, especially on the first guitar. Is that a sample? And who played guitar for you later on, or is that you? If you can record some acoustic and embellish on that part you've written a bit more I think it would help a lot. More flamenco guitar writing please. I think in a lot of the first half, you could take more liberties where you do not. 2. The sax is nice, if your current collab partner isn't Prophet, and it falls through for some reason, yeah ask him. 3. I think you have a cool semi-Vangelis effect going on in the first half, but you could take it to the next level. Basically, don't be afraid to fill up the sound spectrum with nuances here and there to make the intro sections seem a bit more delicate. You want to give an impression of movement more IMO. Right now everything just seems a bit too blocky. I think something like, flamenco guitar things here and there throughout the song would help. 4. That violin part before the song changes really doesn't fit. It sounds really really fake, and even if you reverbed it up I think it would still sound out of place. I get the idea of the transition, but maybe try something else for it? 5. When the RAWK part comes in, things get a bit better, but it's still a bit blocky for the most part. I think part of it is those whole note choirs... Like in the first half, more movement would be helpful. Crescendo/decrescendo, volume automations, don't be afraid to write notes in the middle of measures w/ them... The song gives the impression that it should be very dynamic, and instead, besides the nice drama of the sax and guitar, an occasional drum writing, it's kind of flat. Also, the same on the choir writing in the beginning as well actually. 6. 1:36 gets kind of muddy. It's those low notes with lots of resonance. When they combine w/ the kick drum, things get a bit too clashy. I'd honestly EQ back the kick a bit, make sure all freq you are using for it are necessary. When there is clash like that, it actually takes away from the sound you're going for when the two parts fight for the same place in the spectrum. 7. I think overall your sound is okay, but could sound better... Just make sure you're EQing up some freq to make parts playing sound their best, and getting rid of unnecessary frequencies that will clash w/ other parts more IMO. The current compression seems to work okay w/ the later guitar driven parts, but I'm not sure it adds to atmosphere of the intro. 8. The intro just needs to sound wetter IMO... Draw back on too much wet/resonance on lower parts, but don't be afraid to get some higher freq wet. You have a whole room you can fill better IMO. Phew, that was way more than I thought I would write. Hope at least some of this helps, and good luck. For semi-inspiration here's some

Hers more like Hurrrrrs

Well, I still plan on doing the Claus battle, and making it super creepy and freak the shit out of you badass. It may take a while though, because as always I have a lot on my plate. That being said, I am super interested in this song and will eventually get to it! Great first release on volume 1, and hopefully volume 2 will be even better!

We're getting old

Great work guys!

Hey yeah wow welcome back. Your intro is great, I love that build. I think in comparison to your other samples, your piano sounds kinda plinky and faker. Needs more humanization, more ringing notes, or even just a better sample, for that Zimmer feel. When your brass drops... There's distortion w/ the drums and brass. Too much bass too I think... Everything just needs to be reeled in a tad. There's a lot of clipping. Great dynamics though! I think you just really gotta work on balancing all your elements together. I'd also like to suggest some wind sections, clarinets, flutes (like that ethnic one you used in the beginning), things like that w/ some counterpoint or just utilizing them in ways to break up the whole notes everywhere... Which even gets tiresome for me in Zimmer music *_*. It can be countermelody, little nuances, anything to keep things interesting, or even just the whole running violins, like you had in the intro, over whole notes... You have a huge canvas basically and it's time to get into the dirty details and get more complex. Good luck!

Hey, listening. I feel there may be too much reverb on the drum kit. It doesn't feel too bad when things are sparce, but when they get crowded, they definitely add to some mud. The bass drum seems to have reverb on it that doesn't feel very necessary, even for that kind of 80s sort of kit. The snare can easily be a stylistic choice, but that much reverb on a kick is usually bad news all around. Your guitars may be a smidgeon too loud, especially when you have synth work in the background, especially when they come in the beginning, I think it stands out great, so it couldn't hurt turning it down a tad (especially in the beginning when it's just playing straight melody), so we can hear some of that synthwork better. I feel it's just a bit overstated. Also that lead synth that comes in the first ten/fifteen seconds, I think if you want it to have a bit more of a dynamic feel, reel in the release just a tad. It would probably help w/ rhythm vs. the long guitar notes, because you seem to be utilizing it to stress that OutRun triplet rhythm anyway. Also there are parts of the song where things seem sparce in general, (after the first guitar section, where the bass and kick come in, and those synths are playing 16th notes, and the section after that where it's just guitar and drums) I feel you could really rock out there with some crescendoing pads or synths, really subtle, understated chord work. Overall, this is sexellent, and as the song gets further in, I have less qualms, as you add more elements, except some muddiness because of the kit+reverb I think, and guitars a tad too loud again for me. I do think that later/last brass synth that is kinda tremelo/flanging everywhere near the end could have a way better solo though, the notes are long and not as exciting as the previous guitar lead. Something faster-paced might be better. The synth itself is also just... very weird lol... Anyway, nice work, and good luck!

Haha Txai, fileupyours Here's an updated link: http://songportal.org/misc/music/Protricity/FF6_Enchanted_Esper_V2.mp3

Okay. Well... It's hard to choose, but I think there's a compromise somewhere between the two synths you are using, maybe pair them up, and work around each other? Anyway, there are a couple other issues that I am having w/ the song unfortunately. I like your Rhodes progression in the beginning, it's cool, but I think those triplets kinda repeat a bit too much, and I probably wouldn't notice except in some key places, they cause a lot of dissonance where I would rather you followed the original chord progression instead. It's kinda like you're using a cool rhodes progression, established it in the intro for that jazzy effect, but there are key places in both the MM6 and MM3 sections of the melody where I'd rather you were sticking to the original progression of whatever melody you are playing. Here are some timestamps: 1:04 - I want that resolve 1:21 - Now I need that resolve 1:35+ - You're following the NeedleMan progression, but I hear those rhodes causing dissonance, in a place that IMO doesn't really need it, as in it's been established before and now it's time to do something different. 2:10 - You have a synth solo, I kinda feel like both the synth playing those panned stabs, in addition to the rhodes not really following w/ the melody progression is distracting from the melody. 3:12 - Wish it would resolve instead. Basically, what's bothering me is that those notes are so repetitive, they are all I am hearing in this song, and after a while I get aggravated lol. What I would really wish, is for some more intimate rhodes writing that follows w/ the Needleman and Mr. X progressions respectively, you can definitely keep the jazzy feel without repeating the same/similar motif. Centering in on the melodies you are featuring, and surrounding them w/ chords and rhythm that would beef them up IMO would improve this song a ton. Also some of the cymbals may be a little too loud or striking. I just think that yes, there is a groove going, and when you have a good groove going it's great, but there are times in this song where things need to change (like chord progression), and the groove keeps going, and then I'm no longer hearing the groove, I'm instead feeling a separation, like things aren't working together any longer. Sorry if I sound harsh!

I'd also like to add: This is a really good time for the people who have a favorite few remixes, but have never commented on them, to speak up! If you love a song a ton, say so! Gush over it if you haven't already! And if there is a song that you reviewed once already, but have changed an opinion on, hell review it again. If you don't want to review songs you have zero familiarity w/ then at least write about ones you already know. And while you're doing that, add some of the songs with less reviews to your playlist, and when you DO fall in love w/ them, you can review them too! It's a great way to give back to the people who are releasing free music to you. Just tell them how you feel about their music. Let them know they did And for those who missed it:

I do honestly hope that some of the people reviewing are not just glancing over songs/playing them once just for the sake of writing one or two sentences, to me that's not much better than not saying anything. It's about impact. I'd give songs more than one listen, give them some time to be absorbed, thought over, dwelled on a little bit before commenting, at least that's what I always do. Yes, reviewing a song is a step up from no review at all, but no remixer wants to see: "This is okay and neat and here is a vague comment and you can tell I didn't really listen to it much, nice job I guess" And would rather have some real feedback. In other words, reviews are both for encouraging the remixer for how well they did if you like the song, but also are a good place for people to critique songs in-depth. Nothing is better than knowing that someone actually "listened" to your song, for good or for bad.

Sounds much better, and so quick too, good job! And haha, I don't really know which derp derp synth, I guess the one that plays throughout the song (starts in the beginning), but I don't mind it so much now that everything else sounds better around it. But yeah, a lot of issues have been addressed. It still teeters on the edge of muddy sometimes, but nothing that sticks out or even really bothers me now. Very full. Also I can't really comment on the bass or low end that well, because I have headphones on, so maybe ask for a mod review? Good luck!

Hello: I think overall this just needs to be phattened up. To submit to OCR, I think that a few things may need to happen first, I'm not a mod but my overall impressions are: 1. The song sounds hollow, and not in a way I can really say I like. I feel as if there's too much reverb/resonance on things that don't need it. 2. The bass, IMO I think you should shorten notes even more when you can, eliminate any resonance possible (I am also not a fan of where it actually sits in the song, so that could be it too, as in room placement). I think it also may be a bit too chorusy. Phatten it up in the low low end of the spectrum, and search for that sweet spot in that 1k to 2k range. I think it's really an ear thing, listening closely to make it stand out. Thinking about the chorusy complaint, did you double it up actually? Because it feels like whatever has more resonance/reverb if it's two synths combined could be the culprit. 3. When the strings come in, everything gets muddy. They have a slight "slow attack syndrome" that I think actually takes away from how cool they'd sound if they were a bit more flat in their actual approach, and automated in volume instead. Maybe a bit too much reverb (or way too large a room, because they are drowned out). 4. I also think I am not a huge fan of where your piano sits either, but that could be because of the bass/strings too, I think you could EQ the piano a bit better, just like everything else. Also stylistically, I have no problem w/ their repetitiveness, but I do wanna point out that you could probably easily mix up the rhythm, at least at the end of sections, and have more fun w/ chords. 5. Your stevie wonder lead is very nice, nice writing too... But it also needs some beefing up, it's just too hollow. Work on making it stand out more. 6. Your drums are kind of lackluster too, although you do drop them out at appropriate times, and the voice/samples are pretty cool too, but overall the beat just need a bit of work. Actually though, are they a drumloop (or a couple drumloops)? That could be why, because they are gonna be harder to place in the mix if they are all together like that. If they aren't, and you're using a kit, work on getting that kick to pop (fill in lower bass freq your bass synth isn't using, and find that pop higher end freq), and EQ up the higher range of snare/highhats a tad. Get a little wider w/ the sound. Overall, I don't have a problem with the actual writing, it's a bit conservative but it's fine, and actually I think the instrument I have the least qualms w/ is the sax. It's obviously fake, but it's kind of quirky and has charm. Just work on making the song phatter, hone and widen your mixing, boost, and give it more energy. Sorry to sound harsh, and it really only is my opinion, but as of right now I think you'll probably be waiting 6 months just for a no resub if you submitted. Good luck!

I personally think everything is a bit too centered, over-compressed, and muddy. I would honestly (at least for OCR quality), remove the compression for now, and kind of clean slate the mixer. Turn the mix down. Work on EQ of everything, get rid of all unnecessary frequencies. Try to give everything some room. Give your leads some breathing room especially (that lead centered guitar). The accompanying synths are pretty much drowned out throughout the song. They sort of cut in sometimes, but end up sounding like weird distorted effects that IMO don't end up as intended, and the execution seems lackluster. I'd work on your panning, EQ, and if that doesn't work, using other samples to get the thoughts across better. The drums are REALLY drowned out, no oomph at all. The highhat I think has room to sizzle, maybe EQ the higher spectrum up a bit? Slight panning? The snare is very muddy. The rhythm guitar seems panned okay, but it really feels like the rest of the song is competing for the center spotlight. And your lead guitar, I think honestly that it's just not EQ'd well, it's not utilizing it's best frequencies to stand out, so it sounds subdued, and even if that is intended for the sound you're going for, that sound can be achieved w/out sacrificing frequency ranges and muddiness, and like I said, it is competing (sorry if I am repeating myself here lol) too much for attention. Solo it, listen for a frequency range where it sounds best, and then work the rest of the mix around not crowding it there. Btw, your cymbals suddenly sound better at around 3:02. About the writing: I like, I also like your guitar playing, great job. The song has a lot of awesome energy, which is great. I just think the mixing is really the crutch, and some of the accompanying synth choices might be actually taking away from what you've really got going. That "derp derp chirp" synth especially that seems to play rhythm. So anyway, good luck w/ this song, and hopefully I wasn't too harsh!

Hey, listening to the updated version. First impression... I like your highhat pattern, but the snare hit and kick is kind of drab and it too slow in comparison. I think you should see if you can make a beat that's a bit faster paced, and play w/ your bass and drumwork more. Play the two off each other, so the notes aren't so long and spread out. Your initial arpeggiation/delayed tinkly notes are kind of off key from your melody when it comes in. The two don't feel like they should be in the same song together. I obviously recognize the lullaby theme playing in the melody, but you really need to work on lining up your chord structures of your accompaniment to make the notes not sound off when everything is playing together. I'll mention again about the bass, don't be afraid to try to be more complex w/ your bass writing, notes w/in the chord your melody is implying are safe. You can even have a bass playing quarter or half notes, and still be safe, instead of lots of whole notes that I hear right now. Overall the mix is very sparse and thin, it needs to sound fuller. Just so you can can know what I'm talking about w/ those chords, 3:04 is a good example. The chords are very dissonant (don't sound pleasing, don't feel like they fit together), and do not gel at all w/ the melody you have playing. Work on getting those pads sounding like they belong in the same song. If you have to, examine a midi of the lullaby theme for reference of the chords in the song. Also, you generally want these four-five elements playing together through most of the song, give or take for what you're going (and atmosphere). Drums, bass, melody, chords, rhythm... Try to have an instrument (or instruments) play all these at the same time, and see what happens. Try to have all the notes in the chords or arpeggiations go up and down the same scale your melody is playing in, and same w/ bass, and try to have the drums create a rhythm for your bass and any rhythmic notes to follow. In other words, you are using each instrument to communicate a whole, something that is more than a sum of it's parts. They all relate to each other in some way, and the key is getting them to play their separate parts, but add to/compliment/fulfill a role vs. each other (and create music). This is all just for future reference, I'm sorry if I sound harsh Also a good way to do this is to listen to a professional song you're familiar w/, and a sound you are going for... Try to emulate that sound as best you can, notice how they write their drums, utilize their bass, establish rhythm, melody, and harmony. Play around w/ these. Good luck and feel free to post more revisions!

Hahaha, so cute. JUST WORK THAT BODY!

Haha :J So the premise of the first post is so terrible that I feel completely compelled to help the site out and review remixes for actually using it.

Hmmm, well I guess they don't look like the woot shirts. The ones I have are too short IMO, so those girls in those pics must be pretty petite, because they don't stretch that long for me, possibly a bust issue maybe?

Agreed, these are so cute. I have a lot of woot shirts, that my guess are probably a lot like the current OCR shirts in fit and fabric, I love some of their designs but not of how they feel or fit... Those longer, more fitted shirt you're posting are just my cup of tea though!

Hey! Using a tracker eh? Okay right off the bat, I don't really like your kit. It's too wet, and it just is kinda flat. Something crunchier, with more punch to it would feel better IMO. You have a slight breakbeat going at transitions, maybe just try to keep the beat going in a way where it really is driving the song, all hits being appropriate etc. etc.... Keep your bass writing in mind when you write drums. Also, not only is your kit too wet IMO, but the rest of the song is too... I think a LOT more detail would come out if at least some of the instruments were dryer. Leads can keep nice reverb and delay effects and stand out well, but some of the side/detail/nuanced stuff gets lost and muddy. Your bass especially too if it has any fx on it. See, the thing w/ chiptunes is... The tones are so pure, that one of their biggest strengths in production is how clear they sound, how distinct they are. Also with that kept in mind, you can really push solos, and rhythmic sections w/ them easier, shortening and lengthening tones can really help emphasize rhythm. About the writing itself, it's nice. It's a little bit sectiony I guess, no eye popping moments, but the detail of your writing is great, very intricate and nuanced, I like a lot. Nice key change as well, and you meld the two themes nicely. Impressive first song posted here. So yeah, hopefully my advice helps, it's really about what would be more appropriate to help your song stand out. If you don't take any of my advice, do something with that kit at least, and good luck!